Paris Review, 1965

Robert Rauschenberg’s edition Paris Review (1965) brings together photographic imagery, graphic elements and a dense grid structure in a characteristically layered composition. A nude figure dominates the centre, surrounded by fragments of everyday life and popular imagery, including a globe, a glass of water, a boat at sea and a military vessel. Handwritten notes, postal markings and diagrammatic lines further contribute to the work’s collage-like visual language.
The juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated images creates a constantly shifting field of associations, in which no single motif takes precedence. Rauschenberg’s use of ordinary photographic and graphic material reflects his characteristic approach of bringing elements of contemporary life into unexpected relationships, allowing the world around him to enter the picture.